Understanding UK Medical School Interview Formats (MMI, Panel, Online) — and How To Prepare for Each
UK medical schools use different interview formats — most commonly Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs), but some schools and colleges (e.g., Oxbridge) use panel-style interviews; many providers also run online interviews, sometimes asynchronous (record-and-submit). Knowing which format you’ll face shapes how you practise, structure your answers, and manage timing.
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The three main formats at a glance
🟦 MMI (Multiple Mini Interview)
Circuit of short, timed stations testing skills/values: communication, ethics, professionalism, teamwork, NHS insight, data handling. Timings vary by school (e.g., Birmingham runs 6–7 stations, each ~8 minutes ).
🟩 Panel
A more extended, structured conversation with 2–3 interviewers (academics/clinicians). Oxford and Cambridge use panel-style interviews (multiple short academic conversations rather than MMI).
🟧 Online/Virtual
Live (Zoom/Teams) or asynchronous (recorded answers reviewed later). Oxford confirms 2025 interviews (for 2026 entry) online; many Cambridge colleges state online or mixed delivery, depending on the college.
1) Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) 🧩
What is it & how long?
An MMI is a circuit of brief encounters. Each station focuses on a competency (e.g., ethics, role-play, data interpretation). Timings and station counts vary by university; for example, Birmingham’s official page describes an in-person MMI with ~8-minute stations. Always follow your invite’s specifics.
Example schools using MMIs (illustrative):
UCL — MMIs on campus for Home candidates; online for overseas.
Many other UK schools use MMI in whole or part (see your school’s admissions page).
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What MMIs assess (the “values”)
Across schools, stations map to the professional standards expected of doctors (communication, working with colleagues, honesty, patient-centred care). The GMC’s Good Medical Practice (2024) is a great anchor for how to behave and reason.
Sample MMI stations (with quick approaches)
Try these as timed drills (5–8 minutes answer + 1 minute reading):
Communication & Empathy
Breaking minor bad news to a peer actor (e.g., missed placement opportunity).
Approach: Empathise → explore concerns → signpost options → agree next steps.
Explaining a COVID booster leaflet to a worried patient with asthma.
Approach: Chunk & check, plain language, risks/benefits, safety-net.
Ethics & Professionalism
3) Parent insists on antibiotics for a viral illness.
Approach: Stakeholders, four principles (autonomy/beneficence/non-maleficence/justice), antimicrobial stewardship, shared plan.
4) A friend asks you to alter their reflective log.
Approach: Integrity, honesty, duty to maintain accurate records; seek supervisor advice; signpost support resources. (Align to Good Medical Practice)
Teamwork/Leadership
5) You and another student disagree during a ward simulation.
Approach: Acknowledge goal, invite perspective, summarise, allocate roles, reflect.
Data & Calculations
6) Triage chart: A&E 4-hour performance across months.
Approach: Describe trend, compare categories, consider sources of bias, conclude implications for patients.
NHS Insight/Hot Topics
7) Should GP practices offer more remote consultations?
Approach: Balance access, safety, continuity, digital exclusion; suggest hybrid models.
Role-play with an actor
8) Angry relative about a delayed appointment.
Approach: Listen → validate → explain process limits → propose solutions → confirm understanding.
Motivation & Reflection
9) Describe a time you handled a setback. (Use STAR.)
10) What surprised you in your work experience? → Focus on insight over itinerary.
How to prepare for MMIs (step-by-step)
Drill to time: run mini-circuits with a timer and a “bell”.
Practise “station families”: ethics | comms/role-play | NHS | data | motivation.
Use a rubric: assess against values (communication, integrity, teamwork) and GMC principles.
Role-play realism: eye contact, empathy statements, signposting (“First… Next…”).
Post-station debrief: one strength + one specific tweak per station.
2) Panel Interviews 🪑
What is it & how long?
A structured, academic conversation with a small panel (often two interviews of ~20–45 minutes each at Oxbridge-style panels, varying by college/course). Expect probing follow-ups and problems to think through.
Oxford & Cambridge examples
Oxford confirms online undergraduate interviews for the 2025 interview window (2026 entry) and describes interviews as subject-based conversations.
Cambridge describes interviews as academic conversations exploring your potential; format (online/in-person) and length vary by college, often two interviews.
Typical topics
Motivation for Medicine and “fit” for the programme
Reflection on experiences (teamwork, resilience, leadership)
Ethical reasoning and professionalism
Scientific reasoning/problem-solving from short stimuli (graphs, vignettes)
Sample panel questions (with model approaches)
Why Medicine — and why this school? → Align your values/learning style to the course structure and clinical links; evidence with specifics.
What makes a good doctor? → Communication, teamwork, honesty, leadership, patient-centred care, with a short example (anchor to GMC).
Tell us about a time you changed your mind. → Reflection, humility, evidence-based thinking.
You read that screening test X has 95% sensitivity and 85% specificity. What does that mean for positive predictive value if prevalence is low? → Define terms, calculate at a notional prevalence, and conclude implications.
Discuss a recent NHS news story you followed. → Summarise neutrally → stakeholders → risks/benefits → patient impact.
How would you handle an unprofessional peer on placement? → Safety first, escalate appropriately, support peer, document.
Ethical scenario: “Should parents be able to refuse blood transfusion for a child?” → Best interests, law, safeguarding, and least restrictive options.
Interpreting a graph: Explain a dose-response curve and limitations.
What did you actually learn from your work experience?” → Insight over itinerary; show growth.
Resilience: “Tell us about a time you received tough feedback.” → What changed next time?
How to prepare for panels
Depth over breadth: read around anything you mention; expect “Why?” twice.
STAR for experiences; structure everything (Four Principles for ethics; SPIES for professionalism).
Think aloud: show reasoning steps, not just answers.
Short “example bank”: 6–8 stories you can flex to teamwork, leadership, empathy, and initiative.
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3) Online & Asynchronous Interviews 💻
Formats you may meet
Live online (Zoom/Teams) with panel or MMI-style delivery. Oxford confirms online interviews for the current cycle; several Cambridge colleges also state that online delivery will be used.
Asynchronous (record-and-submit): you record timed video answers to set prompts; universities review later (not universal, but used by some providers).
Tech & environment checklist ⚙️
Stable internet, camera at eye level, good lighting, quiet background, notification-free device, and a printed one-page prompt sheet (values, frameworks, 6–8 examples). Cambridge’s official tips cover online prep basics, too.
Sample prompts for online/asynchronous interviews
“Describe a time you adapted your communication for someone.”
“Explain herd immunity to a non-scientist.”
“Discuss one challenge the NHS faces and a realistic solution.”
“Ethical dilemma: You see a peer breaching confidentiality.”
“Interpreting a 60-second data slide.”
“Motivation: Why Medicine now, and why here?”
Online-specific strategies
Practise to platform limits (e.g., 60–90 seconds per response).
If audio drops: calmly summarise what you heard and ask to confirm before answering.
Maintain camera contact; animate with hands sparingly at chest height.
“Which format will my school use?” 🔎
Policies change year-to-year — always read your invite email and the school’s official page:
UCL: MMIs on campus for Home candidates; overseas online.
Birmingham: official guidance for in-person MMIs (tips and video).
Oxford: 2025 interviews online for 2026 entry; timetable published.
Cambridge: interviews are academic conversations; format varies by college (many confirm online for 2025).
Quick comparison — MMI vs Panel vs Online 🧭
🟦 MMI
Pros: varied stations; fresh start each time.
Challenges: strict timing; role-play pressure.
Best prep: timed circuits, role-play, data drills.
🟩 Panel
Pros: deeper discussion; showcases reasoning.
Challenges: probing follow-ups; sustained focus.
Best prep: STAR stories, read-around, defend a viewpoint.
🟧 Online
Pros: familiar setting; accessible.
Challenges: tech glitches; camera presence; asynchronous timing.
Best prep: platform drills, environment setup, concise delivery.
Top tips for any medical school interview 🌟
Know the values: align answers with GMC Good medical practice (2024) — patient-centred care, communication, teamwork, honesty, improving care.
Reflect, don’t list: insight > itinerary.
Structure everything: STAR (experiences), Four Principles (ethics), SPIES (professionalism).
Explain like a teacher: short, simple, precise; analogies sparingly.
Think aloud: narrate assumptions and trade-offs.
Know your PS & recent health news (expect follow-ups).
Time awareness: rehearse 5–7 minute answers for MMI-style prompts.
Mock practice: feedback → iterate → repeat.
Wellbeing: sleep, nutrition, tech checks; arrive early (or log on early).
Example medical school interview questions you can practise today 📝
MMI station prompts
Communication: breaking minor bad news; explaining a vaccine leaflet; signposting services; handling an angry relative; summarising a complex article for a patient.
Ethics/Professionalism: confidentiality breach by a peer; refusing antibiotics request; allocation of scarce ICU beds; witnessing prejudice on placement; social media professionalism.
Teamwork: plan an event with constraints; instruct an actor to build a shape from a photo; reflective debrief after a task.
NHS/Data: interpret a waiting-times chart; triage a scenario list; discuss pros/cons of remote GP consultations; read a short policy excerpt and advise a patient.
Motivation/Resilience: biggest learning from work experience; time you changed your mind; handling criticism; dealing with uncertainty.
Panel interview questions
Why Medicine? Why this school?
What makes a good doctor? (+example)
How should the NHS balance access vs. safety in remote care?
Explain sensitivity, specificity and PPV to a layperson.
Discuss a recent health news story and its trade-offs.
A time you led a team through a setback — what did you change next time?
Ethical triage scenario (two patients, one ventilator): how would you reason it through?
What is the role of research in clinical medicine?
How do you handle ambiguity?
What do you want your colleagues to say about you in 10 years?
Online/asynchronous prompts
“Record a 90-second response explaining consent to a 15-year-old.”
“Tell us about an ethical dilemma you observed and what you learned.”
“Discuss one health inequality in the UK and a practical intervention.”
“Teach us something scientific from first principles in 60 seconds.”
“Describe a time you received challenging feedback and how you acted on it.”
Want curated station sets with actor-led role-plays? Join our MMI Mock Circuits
A simple, high-impact 2-week prep plan 🗓️
Days 1–3: Foundations & ethics
Read GMC Good Medical Practice (2024) (note 5 behaviours you’ll show in interview).
Drill 6 MMI stations/day (ethics, comms, NHS, data).
10-minute debrief after each station. Days 4–6: Panel depth
Build your example bank (8 concise stories).
Two 30-minute mock panels with probing follow-ups.
Read-around topics you mention (be ready for “Why?” twice).
Days 7–9: Role-play & data
Actor-style comms practice (breaking bad news, angry relative).
3 data-interpretation drills/day (describe → compare → caveats → conclusion).
Days 10–12: Online rehearsal
Full tech run (lighting, framing, mic).
6 asynchronous-style prompts at 60–90 seconds each.
Review recordings for clarity, pacing, filler words.
Days 13–14: Mixed circuit + polish
One full mixed MMI circuit + 1 panel.
Light review; sleep and wellbeing; logistics checklist for travel or log-in.
Sources & further reading (authoritative)
Medical Schools Council — Interviews (overview; asynchronous explained). Medical Schools Council
GMC — Good medical practice (2024) (values/standards). GMC UK
UCL Medical School — Selection & Interviews (Home in-person MMIs; Overseas online). University College London
University of Birmingham — Medicine Interviews (official MMI guidance). University of Birmingham
University of Oxford — Interviews & timetable (online for 2025 interviews). University of Oxford
University of Cambridge — What to expect & interview prep (academic conversations; prep tips). Undergraduate Study Cambridge
Ready to turn all this into offers? 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Book our Medical School Interview Course — taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK Medical Schools
Join our MMI Mock Circuits for timed stations, actor role-play, and line-by-line feedback.
